Looks at the complex, expensive, and often frustrating process of buying the most appropriate house or condominium

Bob Vila, recognized as America's foremost authority on renovation and of the popular TV series This Old House and Bob Vila's Home Again, now presents the quintessential book on remodeling your home. Millions count on Bob Vila for reliable, understandable advice and now the wealth of knowledge is at your fingertips to help you increase both the value of your home and your living enjoyment. Remodeling is all about making the right decisions-from determining what you want and need to hiring and working with the contractors who will help you realize your vision. Bob Vila's Complete Guide To Remodling Your Home takes you step-by-step through the renovation process from inception to completion, following a logical progression that begins with looking at your house in a new way, inside and out, and making a careful investigation of the existing structure and decorative elements. It guides you through such key issues as design, style, and living space, while minimizing stress and maximizing the use of your remodeling dollar. Whether you're considering a major makeover or just remodeling one room, you'll find the know-how to help you achieve the results you're looking for. Bob Vila will help you determine remodeling viability, estimate costs, and choose methods that work best for you. Armed with technical tips, trade secrets, and the latest product information-as well as legal advice-you can keep the project on track and within budget as you evaluate contracts with confidence, negotiate terms, and hire the best professionals for the job. In addition to his own vast experience, Bob Vila draws on the skills and know-how of architects, designers, carpenters, and other home-building specialists to present reliable information and practical, real-world advice on managing the entire project from start to finish. Enhanced by hundreds of drawings, photographs, architectural plans and a glossary of building terms, Bob Vila's Complete Guide To Remodling Your Home is the one book anyone considering home renovation must have. Bob Villa, recognized as America's foremost authority on renovation and of the popular TV series This Old House and Bob Vila's Home Again, now presents the quintessential book on remodeling your home. Millions count on Bob Vila for reliable, understandable advice and now the wealth of knowledge is at your fingertips to help you increase both the value of your home and your living enjoyment. Remodeling is all about making the right decisions -- from determining what you want and need to hiring and working with the contractors who will help you realize your vision. Bob Vila's Complete Guide To Modeling Your Home takes you step-by-step through the renovation process from inception to completion, following a logical progression that begins with looking at your house in a new way, inside and out, and making a careful investigation of the existing structure and decorative elements. It guides you through such key issues as design, style, and living space, while minimizing stress and maximizing the use of your remodeling dollar. Whether you're considering a major makeover or just remodeling one room, you'll find the know-how to help you achieve the results you're looking for. Bob Villa will help you determine remodeling viability, estimate costs, and chose methods that work best for you. Armed with technical tips, trade secrets, and the latest product information- as well as legal advice -- you can keep the project on track and within budget as you evaluated contracts with confidence, negotiate terms, and hire the best professionals for the job. In addition to his own vast experience, Bob Villa draws on the skills and know-how of architects, designers, carpenters, and other home-building specialists to present reliable information and practical, real-world advice on managing the entire project from start to finish. Enhanced by hundreds of drawings, photographs, architectural plans and a glossary of building terms.

In Every Root an Anchor, writer and arborist R. Bruce Allison celebrates Wisconsin's most significant, unusual, and historic trees. More than one hundred tales introduce us to trees across the state, some remarkable for their size or age, others for their intriguing histories. From magnificent elms to beloved pines to Frank Lloyd Wright's oaks, these trees are woven into our history, contributing to our sense of place. They are anchors for time-honored customs, manifestations of our ideals, and reminders of our lives' most significant events. For this updated edition, Allison revisits the trees' histories and tells us which of these unique landmarks are still standing. He sets forth an environmental message as well, reminding us to recognize our connectedness to trees and to manage our tree resources wisely. As early Wisconsin conservationist Increase Lapham said, "Tree histories increase our love of home and improve our hearts. They deserve to be told and remembered."

Few themes have been as central to sociology as 'class' and yet class remains a perpetually contested idea. Sociologists disagree not only on how best to define the concept of class but on its general role in social theory and indeed on its continued relevance to the sociological analysis of contemporary society. Some people believe that classes have largely dissolved in contemporary societies; others believe class remains one of the fundamental forms of social inequality and social power. Some see class as a narrow economic phenomenon whilst others adopt an expansive conception that includes cultural dimensions as well as economic conditions. This 2005 book explores the theoretical foundations of six major perspectives of class with each chapter written by an expert in the field. It concludes with a conceptual map of these alternative approaches by posing the question: 'If class is the answer, what is the question?'